UFC heads to Doha, Qatar, on Saturday with a stacked Fight Night card featuring what could be multiple No. 1 contender fights. Belal Muhammad and Ian Garry will square off for a shot at the welterweight strap, while Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker close the show with their sights set on the lightweight title.
Looking at the main event, Tsarukyan enters as a heavy -650 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, with Hooker listed as a +470 underdog.
Along with traditional sports betting and daily fantasy, you can now have more action than ever for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker. Check out DraftKings UFC Pick6 for my favorite picks for Saturday’s UFC event.
Arman Tsarukyan Less Than 63.5 Significant Strikes
Arman Tsarukyan (22–3) enters as a heavy favorite for a reason: a clear advantage on the mat. Dan Hooker (24–12) will stay in the fight as long as he’s on his feet, and the Georgia-born contender will do everything in his power to avoid a stand-up battle.
While Hooker has extended range and solid takedown defense, Tsarukyan will be relentless in his pursuit of closing the distance and dragging the New Zealander into deep waters. Tsarukyan has surpassed 63.5 significant strikes in just two of his last five fights — neither of his last two — and seems poised to spend too much time on the ground to pile up the significant strike count.
Ian Machado Garry More Than 14:30 Fight Time
Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad (24–4) and Ian Machado Garry (16–1) have a few things in common: impressive resumes, elite wrestling, and an allergy to finishing fights.
Muhammad, who lost the 170-pound title to Jack Della Maddalena in May, has a career finish rate of just 25%, recording only one knockout in the last five years. Machado Garry has finished half of his victories inside the distance, but his bouts have gone longer as he’s climbed the rankings — he’s currently on a streak of five straight decisions.
Muhammad has only been finished once in his career — nearly a decade ago — while Machado Garry has never lost a fight that didn’t go to the judges.
Myktybek Orolbai Less Than 43.5 Significant Strikes
Jack Hermansson (24–9) is in his late 30s and enters Saturday’s welterweight matchup, having suffered two brutal knockouts in his last three fights. He’ll face an explosive up-and-comer, coming off a submission victory.
That sounds awfully familiar to the situation Beneil Dariush found himself in ahead of his UFC 322 bout against Benoit Saint Denis — and we all saw how that turned out:
Myktybek Orolbai (14–2) is an explosive newcomer who overwhelms his opponents with powerful striking and relentless grappling. Twelve of his 14 wins have come by finish, including six knockouts and six submissions.
He shouldn’t need more than 43.5 significant strikes on Saturday.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta More Than 72.5 Fantasy Points
No. 11-ranked heavyweight Shamil Gaziev (14–1) has been sidelined since February, with his bout against Serghei Spivac getting cancelled three times now. He’ll now have just three days to prepare for No. 6 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (15–2), who steps in on short notice with a ton of momentum.
“Salsa Boy” enters his fifth UFC fight of the year fresh off a first-round knockout against Ante Delija just three weeks ago. He’s gone 4–1 in 2025, clearing the 72.5-point threshold in all four of his victories. Count on the former minor league pitcher to keep Gaziev off balance and close out his exceptional 2025 on a high note.
Saygid Izagakhmaev More Than 5:30 Control Time
Burgeoning welterweight and Khabib Nurmagomedov teammate Saygid Izagakhmaev (22–2) makes his UFC debut on Saturday against longtime veteran Nicolas Dalby (23–6).
Dalby, 41, is one of the more durable fighters on the active roster, having been finished just once during his 15-year career. His 58% career takedown defense is troublesome against an aggressive sambo specialist like Izagakhmaev, but his grit could prolong the fight once it inevitably hits the mat.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev More Than 17.5 Significant Strikes
24-year-old Russian Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (7–0) makes his UFC debut after a dazzling performance in Dana White’s Contender Series in August, when the light heavyweight knocked out Alik Lorenz in just 30 seconds. Here, check this out:
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance was that the “Hunter” piled on 16 significant strikes in half a minute. With that type of aggression, he’s poised to land a few more than that in his UFC debut against Rafael Cerqueira (11–3).
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Create a Pick Set
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